What Once Was
by bitternessbitesback
Summary: Now that Adrien has more friends, he doesn't need her anymore. For the most part Chloé is all alone now and she decides to reflect on some things.


Throughout pretty much their entire lives, Chloé and Adrien have only had each other. They knew almost everything about each other and had been together through all of the pain and heartache. They had met a long time ago back when their mother's were still around. You see Audrey and Emilie had been very good friends especially since they were both actresses. Naturally Chloé and Adrien met through them, although their first meeting hadn't gone all that great. They were only four and Adrien had accidentally spilled his apple juice all over Chloé's new dress and she was traumatized. It was her favorite dress and he'd just ruined it, so obviously the only thing she could do in that situation was throw a tantrum. Adrien was so adorable back then, he apologized to her countless times with little improvement on the spoiled girls mood. He simply had no idea how to fix the situation, especially since she wouldn't let him get near her so he could wipe off the juice. Eventually he got an idea and left shortly while the blonde girl calmed down. He soon came rushing in with something in a bowl that smelled sweet and offered it to the pouting girl. She gave him and odd look as he just smiled at her waiting for her to take the dessert. Chloé decided it possibly couldn't hurt her and took the bowl along with the spoon from his hands, peering down at it she saw it was Crème Brulee with a couple raspberries on top. Looking back up at Adrien she thanked him, but also let him know he wasn't entirely forgiven.

"That's okay!" He reassured her, "I'll make it up to you somehow!"

She held him to that as she made him play house with her as soon as she finished the delicious treat. After that they started hanging out more even with out their mother's forcing them to. More often than not they played at Adrien's house. His parents were very strict and hardly let him leave the lot. They claimed it was dangerous, but Chloé had been outside the comfort of her home multiple times and didn't see what the big deal was. Then again her parents were always with her, but she still didn't understand why his parents couldn't do the same. Adrien claimed they were too busy, but Chloé didn't care. She just told him the outside world wasn't that fun anyway and let it go. He didn't believe her, but it didn't matter. He was perfectly content with playing all sorts of games with her. Chloé liked playing dress up the most while Adrien preferred the tea parties she hosted. She always made them much more fun, especially since she didn't make him drink actual tea. As they grew up they got into shows like Sailor Moon and Pokémon, they would also pretend to be the characters and save the world. From the ages of four to six Adrien and Chloé went on many adventures.

Unfortunately they stopped hanging out as much when Chloé had to start going to school and Adrien had to be home schooled. She had asked him multiple times why he couldn't just go to a regular school like her, but the answer was always the same. His parents just simply wouldn't allow it. Although it confused her greatly, she eventually stopped prodding when she noticed how sad Adrien would seem to get at the mention of it. While he desperately wanted to go to school and make friends, he couldn't change his parent's minds. Chloé thought his parents were dumb, after all Adrien could get hurt staying inside too. However, it wasn't her place to say such things despite how much she didn't understand his parents reasoning.

Just like she didn't understand Adrien's parents paranoia, she also didn't understand why her mother left her. Chloé didn't understand what she'd done to drive her mother away, for her to leave not even five minutes after Chloé has opened her presents on her sixth birthday. How come her mom didn't love her anymore? Her dad said that she just need space, some time away. He said she would be back soon, he lied. She never came back. Audrey Bourgeois was perfectly happy away from them, she loved her space so much she only visited her so called husband and Chloé on the rarest of occasions. The week after her mother left Chloé spent it crying herself to sleep. Her father said it wasn't her fault, but whose else could it be? She must've been too clingy or something, she has to be good so her mom can come back home. As Chloé grew older she saw the flaw in her childhood logic, but there will always be a small part of her hoping that it will work.

Throughout the years of attending their parents parties, both Chloé and Adrien would opt out of the festivities and choose to hide away instead. They were children, they wanted to play make believe not attend pompous parties. However the age where their parents considered that acceptable was coming to an end. Chloé's father and Adrien's mother couldn't argue on their behalf anymore. Adrien had turned ten and was a recent addition to being the face of the company now that he had followed in his mom's footsteps to be a model. Chloé was the mayor's daughter and it was high time she started acting like it according to her mother. While she loved being the center of attention, Chloé loved actually being a kid and having fun more. The time of hiding away and playing was over, slipping away faster than either of them likes. It was time for the children to grow up, for them to start greeting the guests and learn how to be the host with the most. The less drama the tabloids had to talk about the better.

The tabloids had a surplus of drama to talk about however when Adrien's mom disappeared. Her and Gabriel had gotten back from a business trip a week before she vanished. Adrien was crushed, and there wasn't much Chloé could do to help. At least she knew where her mom was, nevertheless she still comforted him and told she would be found soon. Upon Emilie going missing, Gabriel only tightened his hold on Adrien. Although Adrien came up with every excuse to go outside, Gabriel just had it added to the house. He could never leave if he didn't have to right? If Adrien wanted to skateboard, then bam! A new addition to his empty room. Slowly his room got more crowed with each addition, from rock walls to basketball hoops. He had more than he could ask for, except he still couldn't go outside. Chloé often compared him to a Disney princess being locked away, saying all he needed was to be in a tower.

"Guess my prince charming got lost then." He would joke back, hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hopefully they don't take too long rescuing you, I don't want to mess up my nails." She replied, looking at her freshly painted nails with a bored look before they both burst out in laughter.

That September after countless escape attempts on Adrien's part, he'd somehow convinced his father to let him go to public school. For the first time in all of his 14 years, he was able to go outside without supervision... well at least going to school and back. When Chloé heard the news, she was so ecstatic, finally she would actually be able to hang out with him more! Sadly that thought was short lived as he quickly found new friends; Nino, Alya, and that nasty baker girl Marinette. Stupid, stupid Marinette with the whole, happy family and got everything. Stupid Marinette who was nice and likable and had Adrien. Adrien. _Chloé's_ best friend, the one who has been with her for so long. Who has been by her side long before Sabrina or any of the fake friends who tried to weasel their way in. And yet he was hanging out with Marinette instead. He no longer had time for Chloé, perhaps he hadn't for a long time now. He tried getting her to be nicer to their classmates, to show her the damage her actions were causing. It was all in vain however, she just didn't see how she was in the wrong. Or that was what he thought. Chloé had really, really tried being nice. It was just hard when you've been so terrible for years, the responses are ingrained into your brain and people aren't willing to forgive easily. So yes, while she didn't want to lose her friendship with Adrien, people can't just change over night. He didn't seem to get that and they'd had their very first, real big and nasty fight. Over the years their friendship has seen it's up and downs, but it had never escalated to this extent before.

"Why can't you just see that they're the fake ones?!" Chloé screamed at him, desperation in her voice.

"Why can't you see that you're wrong?! They aren't going to stab you in the back!" Adrien retaliated, tired from going back and forth with her.

"You don't know that _Adrikins_! You're too trusting!" Her voice may have cracked, but her conviction didn't.

"Not everyone is like that Chlo!"  
"Yes! Yes they are Adrien! I've been in the outside world longer I think I know better than you"  
"Just because you think that doesn't make it true! You're wrong."  
"No, I'm not," She'd calmed down a bit now, "They'll only use you for your fame and money, and once they get bored they'll leave you. It's what they do."  
"They're not like that!" He pleaded to her, "Not Nino, Alya, Marinette or anybody else in our class."  
"That doesn't matter!"  
"Yes it does Chloé! They aren't like that!"  
"That doesn't mean other people aren't! We got lucky this year but what about next year? They only see you as a naive rich kid Adrien."  
"And they see you a stuck up spoiled little brat who throws a tantrum every time she doesn't get her way!" He was definitely furious seeing as this was going on too long, they just kept fueling the fire.  
"Oh you know what they think now huh?" She was hurt by his words but she hadn't exactly been pulling the punches either, "Then why don't yo go along and run off with your new besties? They clearly know you better than me."  
"Chloé..."  
"No it's okay, just leave me like everybody else. Take their side I don't care." She turned away from him, not even wanting to see the only person who had been there for her for years, her rock, anymore. She was done fighting.  
"Clearly you do, you know you're the one who pushes everybody away Chlo."  
"No," She interrupted him, "They leave, just like _her_ , just like you."  
"That's not fair! At least you know where your mom is!"  
"At least yours didn't willingly abandon you!" Chloé turned around, her voice cracking as she stabbed him in the chest with her nail, " _At least_ you know your mom loves you! At fucking least Adrien Agreste you know she would come back if she could." That was the last straw as Chloé proceeded to break down. Adrien knew he messed up this time.  
"Look Chloé I-"  
"Just go away."

He reached towards her before drawing his hand back, deciding to give her some space. He said a quick goodbye before exiting her room, hearing her sobs well into the hallway. They didn't speak for the following weeks despite Adrien trying to make up countless times. Chloé continued to ignore Adrien unless absolutely necessary, but other than that she was actually making progress with her classmates. She was getting slowly better at the whole nice thing. Marinette seemed to be being nice to her too for whatever reason. Though Chloé wasn't about to take that for granted. Her other classmates were wary at first, thinking it was a prank, but eventually warmed up to her too. That didn't mean she suddenly started hanging out with them outside of school though. No way, she only had time for Sabrina. Especially now that she was doing her own homework, turns out Chloé was actually smart if she wanted to be. None of that mattered however, because she still wasn't speaking to Adrien. He was right about her pushing people away.

Two weeks and a day after their big fight Adrien came over to the hotel. Chloé opened her door only to see him with a sign around his neck reading _'And the award for biggest prick goes too... Adrien Agreste'_ and sporting the most exaggerated puppy dog eyes a human could make.

"I'm so so sorry for the things is said Chlo," He told her sincerely.

"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to earn my forgiveness." She replied, looking away from him awkwardly before he started to pull something out from behind his back. "Is that?"

"Crème Brulee?" He answered, noticing the slight upturn of her lips, "Yes, has some raspberries too."

"I'm sorry for what I said too, it was uncalled for." She apologized taking the dessert from his hands, "Though it'll take more than this to make me forgive you" She added with a smirk.

"I'll make it up to you somehow," He replied, a smirk gracing his features as well.

A month later they were on a field trip to visit the Château de Breteuil. The castle was absolutely beautiful and their class was lucky to be able to go on the trip, after all the school didn't have enough funding originally. However a mysterious generous donor allowed them to go on the trip this year. Their class was currently having lunch out on the huge backyard. Chloé's classmates had all but insisted upon it. Nathanaël had wanted to draw the humongous castle, Rose wanted to pick flowers with Juleka, and Alix was having another ridiculous competition with Kim. Chloé looked at the fantastic four as they laughed merrily, Nino and Alya had gotten very close recently upon dating. That left the suddenly more confident Marinette and dorky Adrien more or less alone to do as they please. Chloé don't know how it happened, but Marinette could suddenly actually speak around Adrien, and Adrien didn't even try to hide his adoration for the baker. It was obvious.

"Looks like he found his prince charming." She said quietly to herself.

"What was that?" Sabrina inquired, looking up from her half eaten sandwich.

"Nothing, just thinking aloud." Chloé replied, looking up at the clouds. Sabrina shrugged and continued eating her lunch, talking about random things every now and then.


End file.
